INTERNACIONAL
Texas Senate primaries explode as Cornyn warns Paxton could cost GOP majority, Democrats clash over race
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The 2026 primary season kicks off on Tuesday with showdowns in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas, with contests that could ultimately decide whether Republicans can hold their House and Senate majorities in the midterm elections.
Taking center stage this week: the combustible Democratic and Republican Senate primaries in right-leaning Texas.
Progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a nationally known politician and vocal critic of President Donald Trump, is facing off against rising star Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico in the battle for the Democratic Senate nomination.
Either Crockett or Talarico will try to become the first Democrat in nearly four decades to win a Senate election in Texas, as the primary winner will face off against whoever comes out on top of a bruising three-way Republican primary among longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
The Cornyn campaign and aligned super PACs have spent nearly $100 million to run ads attacking Paxton and Hunt, with the senator charging in the closing weeks of the primary campaign that Democrats will flip the seat in the general election if Paxton’s the GOP’s nominee.
Cornyn, his allies, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of the Senate GOP, have repeatedly pointed to the slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered Paxton over the past decade, as well as his ongoing messy divorce.
TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKE ROCKS SENATE PRIMARIES IN TEXAS
«If I’m the nominee, I’ll help President Trump by making sure that we carry the five new congressional seats as well as maintain this Senate seat and will help him continue his agenda through the last two years of his term of office,» Cornyn touted in a Fox News Digital interview.
And, he argued, «If the Democrats win, because we nominate a flawed candidate with incredible baggage like the attorney general, then that last two years of [Trump’s] agenda is jeopardized, as well as everybody down ballot that we need to continue to elect as Republicans.»
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican Senate candidate, speaks to supporters at a campaign event on primary eve, in Waco, Texas, on March 2, 2026. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Paxton, a MAGA firebrand who grabbed significant national attention by filing lawsuits against the Obama and Biden administrations, pushed back, telling Fox News Digital on the eve of the primary that «I’m 3-0. I’ve won three statewide races.»
Pointing to public opinion polls suggesting he has the edge over Cornyn, Paxton argued, «it’s really easy for him to say that when he’s losing a primary, because he’s not delivered for the people of Texas, and he’s going to find out tomorrow what that means. He’s going to end up losing.»
«This idea that I can’t win a race is not true… there’s no evidence of what he’s saying is being true. As a matter of fact, the evidence is just the opposite,» Paxton added.
The GOP nomination battle was a two-person race until Hunt, a West Point graduate and military veteran who flew helicopters during his service and who represents a solidly red district in suburban Houston, announced his candidacy last autumn.
Republican Senate candidate Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas is interviewed by Fox News Digital on the eve of the primary, in Houston, Texas on March 2, 2026 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
The final public opinion polls suggested Paxton with the edge over Cornyn, with Hunt in third place. If no candidate tops 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary, the top two finishers will face off in a late May runoff.
«I think there’s going to be a runoff, no matter what happens,» Cornyn said.
Paxton, speaking to supporters on primary eve, touted that «if we go to a runoff, the odds get better for me.»
Hunt, in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of the primary, argued that he’s «the best candidate to win the primary and win the general, and I’m already outperforming both candidates, both Ken and John, in the general election against James Talarico or Jasmine Crockett. These are facts.»
And pointing to the negative ads from Cornyn and his allies that have targeted him the past couple of weeks, Hunt said «they have spent tens of millions of dollars against me in the state of Texas, which means that I must be doing the right thing, and I must be a threat. DC will not decide who will be the next senator from Texas. Texans will and that’s why I got in this race.»
Trump, whose clout over the GOP remains immense, has stayed neutral to date in the Republican primary. All three candidates, who have sought the president’s endorsement, were in attendance Friday as Trump held an event in Corpus Christi, Texas.
«They’re in a little race together,» Trump said of Cornyn and Paxton. «You know that, right? A little bit of a race. It’s going to be an interesting one, right? They’re both great people, too.»
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in a Whataburger restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Feb. 27, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump also complimented Hunt, and said that all three contenders were engaged in an «interesting election.»
QUITE GOP ‘ASTROTURF’ CAMPAIGN CONVINCED CROCKETT TO JUMP INTO SENATE RACE
In the final weeks leading up to the Democratic primary, race became a key issue in the showdown between the 44-year-old Crockett, a civil rights attorney first elected to Congress in 2022, and the 36-year-old Talarico, a former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian who is considered a rising star among Democrats.
Crockett, who is Black, claimed a couple of weeks ago that a Talarico-aligned super PAC had darkened her skin tone in an ad and said it was «straight up racist.»
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks to reporters after announcing her run in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Dec. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
And Crockett argued late last month that criticisms claiming that she wasn’t electable statewide was a «dog whistle» that was «tearing down a Black woman,» and that she was the «most qualified» candidate.
Talarico, who was first elected to the Texas House in 2018 by flipping a red district in northeast Austin and surrounding suburbs, has highlighted his ability to win over Republican voters. And he questioned whether Crockett could run a competitive general election campaign.
And Talarico, who is White, was also accused a month ago by an influencer of calling former Rep. Colin Allred, a one-time rival for the 2026 Senate nomination, a «mediocre Black man.»
Allred, the 2024 Democratic Senate nominee, was making a second straight run after losing two years ago to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, a conservative firebrand, by eight points.
But Allred ended his Senate campaign late last year, just before Crockett announced her candidacy. Allred, a former college football star who played professionally in the NFL and later became a civil rights attorney, is now running for his old House seat.
Morgan Thompson, the influencer who goes by the username @morga_tt on TikTok, in a social media post accused Talarico of saying in a private conversation with her that he had «signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent, Black woman.»
Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate, greets supporters after a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, on March 1, 2026. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Pushing back against Thompson’s characterization of their conversation, Talarico said in a statement, «In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race.»
Allred, responding in a social media video, said: «James, if you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man.»
Crockett, who days later was endorsed by Allred, said in a statement that the former congressman «drew a line in the sand.»
«He made it clear that he did not take allegations of an attack on him as simply another day in the neighborhood, but more importantly, his post wasn’t about himself,» she said. «It was a moment that he decided to stand for all people who have been targeted and talked about in a demeaning way as our country continues to be divided.»
While dramatically outraised and outspent by Talarico, Crockett is the better-known candidate, thanks in part to her high-profile position on the House Oversight Committee.
The two-term lawmaker, who represents primarily Black and Hispanic majority neighborhoods in Dallas and surrounding inner suburbs south of the city, has grabbed plenty of attention for her clashes with Republicans on the panel, including one with then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia in 2024 that went viral.
She also made headlines last year for calling longtime Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas «Governor Hot Wheels.»
While Abbott has long used a wheelchair due to a 1984 accident, Crockett argued that her comment referred to his policies, not his physical condition.
Crockett, who made her opposition to Trump central to her campaign, has argued that Democrats need to prioritize turning out low propensity voters rather than winning over Republicans, in order to become the first Democrat since 1988 to win a Senate election in the Lone Star State.
«I don‘t know that we’ll necessarily convert all of Trump‘s supporters. That’s not our goal,» Crockett said in a December interview on CNN after declaring her candidacy.
Texas State Rep. James Talarico, D-Travis, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, shake hands. (Bob Daemmrich/Getty Images)
Talarico, who speaks openly about his faith and how it shapes his progressive policy agenda, last year started garnering national attention through a slew of social media appearances that went viral. Also boosting his profile were his TikTok videos, which have grabbed millions of views, and his appearance last July on Joe Rogan’s top-rated podcast.
Rogan suggested during the interview that Talarico should run for president.
A month later, Talarico was a regular on the cable news networks, conducting dozens of national media interviews, as he and dozens of his fellow Democrats in the Texas House fled the state for weeks, to delay the eventual Trump-led redistricting push in Texas to create up to five more right-leaning congressional seats
Talarico launched his Senate campaign a month later, in September.
Last month, Talarico grabbed even more national attention when his appearance on «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert» was bumped off broadcast TV and instead appeared on YouTube. Colbert accused his network, CBS, of blocking the interview by citing guidelines from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The controversy appeared to boost Talarico, with his campaign saying they hauled in $2.5 million in fundraising in the 24 hours «following his censored» interview.
But in the closing days of the primary campaign, Crockett landed the help of former Vice President Kamala Harris. The Democrats’ 2024 presidential nominee recorded a robocall to turnout voters on behalf of Crockett.
«Texas has the chance to send a fighter like Jasmine Crockett to the United States Senate,» Harris said in the call. «Jasmine has the experience and record to hold Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies accountable.»
She also landed an endorsement from rapper Cardi B, who said on Instagram, «If you want somebody that’s going to go up there and represent you and represent your issues, please vote for my sister, Jasmine Crockett.»
Democrats have long tried and failed to win statewide in Texas, but are confident they have a shot this year, due to the rough political climate facing Republicans.
Three House primaries in Texas are also grabbing attention.
Embattled Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing a tough primary challenge amid political fallout after allegations of an affair with a former staffer who died by suicide.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw speaks during a showcase hosted by TerraFlow in Houston Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Conservative Rep. Dan Crenshaw, the only Republican House member running in a primary Tuesday who isn’t backed by Trump, is facing a strong challenge from state Rep. Steve Toth, who has the endorsement of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
And Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee, who was elected in a late January special election, is running against longtime Democratic Rep. Al Green, an outspoken Trump critic, in a newly redrawn district.
In battleground North Carolina, former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley is the clear frontrunner for the GOP Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, left, and former Democratic Roy Cooper of North Carolina, right, are likely to face off in the midterm elections in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images; Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to cruise to his party’s nomination, setting up a competitive and very expensive general election battle.
In House races, Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee faces a tough primary rematch from the left against Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, who has Sen. Bernie Sanders’ endorsement.
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In Arkansas, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton faces two primary opponents as he bids for a third six-year term.
And GOP Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is running unopposed in the primary as she seeks a second term.
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INTERNACIONAL
Aprueban discutir proyecto que crea registro nacional de pacientes diabéticos en Panamá
La Comisión de Trabajo, Salud y Desarrollo Social de la Asamblea Nacional prohijó el anteproyecto de ley que crea el Consejo Nacional de Diabetes, instituye un Registro Nacional de Personas con Diabetes, modifica normas vigentes y establece nuevas obligaciones en materia de educación nutricional y financiamiento.
En términos legislativos, el prohijamiento implica que la comisión acoge formalmente la iniciativa y la convierte en proyecto de ley para iniciar su discusión en primer debate.
A partir de ahora, corresponde abrir el periodo de consultas, recibir opiniones de instituciones, gremios médicos y organizaciones de pacientes, introducir posibles modificaciones y, de ser aprobado en comisión, enviarlo al pleno para segundo y tercer debate.
La propuesta, presentada por el diputado Eduardo Gaitán y respaldada por varios copatrocinadores, parte de un diagnóstico claro: Panamá enfrenta una alta carga de diabetes y carece de una estructura permanente de evaluación y seguimiento de las políticas públicas en esta materia.
En su exposición de motivos se advierte que la enfermedad afecta a aproximadamente el 14% de la población adulta del país, lo que equivale a unas 200 mil personas, y subraya las dificultades de acceso a glucómetros, medicamentos y tecnologías diagnósticas.
El eje central del proyecto es la creación del Consejo Nacional de Diabetes como órgano asesor adscrito al Ministerio de Salud. Según el articulado, este Consejo tendría funciones de coordinación interinstitucional, recomendación técnica y evaluación de políticas públicas orientadas a la prevención, tratamiento y control de la enfermedad.
Estaría integrado por representantes del Ministerio de Salud, la Caja de Seguro Social, el Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas, la Universidad de Panamá, el Ministerio de Educación, asociaciones de pacientes y gremios médicos especializados, con un sistema de rotación en el caso de organizaciones civiles.
El proyecto también instituye el Registro Nacional de Personas con Diabetes como base de datos obligatoria, interoperable y administrada por el Ministerio de Salud, con el fin de garantizar seguimiento clínico, trazabilidad y planificación sanitaria.
El sistema deberá ser interoperable, seguro y ajustado a la normativa de protección de datos personales, permitiendo dar seguimiento a la evolución de la enfermedad, medir niveles de control metabólico, identificar comorbilidades y registrar complicaciones como retinopatías, enfermedad renal crónica o amputaciones.
Con esta información, el Estado debiera mejorar la distribución de medicamentos e insumos, anticipar la demanda de servicios especializados y diseñar políticas basadas en datos reales y actualizados, no en estimaciones fragmentadas.
En paralelo, la iniciativa modifica la Ley 136 de 2020 para reforzar la obligación estatal de fomentar el autoanálisis de glucosa, actualizar protocolos conforme a guías internacionales y garantizar el suministro continuo de medicamentos y tecnologías como infusores subcutáneos de insulina. Además, incorpora la capacitación obligatoria y continua del personal de salud en el manejo integral y psicosocial de la diabetes.
Uno de los apartados más sensibles es el relativo a la educación nutricional y la restricción de bebidas azucaradas. El texto prohíbe la venta, distribución o promoción de estas bebidas en centros educativos públicos y privados e incorpora de forma obligatoria la educación nutricional y física en el currículo nacional desde la primaria como estrategia preventiva de enfermedades no transmisibles.
También refuerza los mecanismos de transparencia y rendición de cuentas sobre el uso del impuesto a bebidas azucaradas, incluyendo informes públicos anuales y audiencias de rendición de cuentas.
El proyecto va más allá al establecer que el Presupuesto General del Estado deberá destinar anualmente un monto no menor al 1% del Producto Interno Bruto para la ejecución de la ley y el cumplimiento de las normas relacionadas. Esta disposición abre un debate fiscal relevante, dado el impacto que una asignación de esa magnitud tendría sobre las finanzas públicas.
El contexto sanitario respalda la preocupación. Según estimaciones recientes de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, más de 830 millones de personas viven con diabetes en el mundo y la enfermedad es responsable de millones de muertes anuales por complicaciones asociadas.
En la Región de las Américas, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud ha advertido que la prevalencia continúa en aumento, impulsada por el envejecimiento poblacional, el sobrepeso, la obesidad y el sedentarismo. La diabetes tipo 2 representa la gran mayoría de los casos y concentra buena parte del gasto sanitario por sus complicaciones crónicas.
En Panamá, la diabetes figura entre las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad asociadas a enfermedades no transmisibles, junto con hipertensión y enfermedades cardiovasculares. Las autoridades sanitarias han señalado que el control metabólico deficiente incrementa la carga sobre hospitales y programas de hemodiálisis, así como el costo de medicamentos de alto impacto presupuestario.
Tras el prohijamiento, el proyecto deberá superar el primer debate en comisión, donde podrían introducirse ajustes técnicos o presupuestarios. Si obtiene dictamen favorable, pasará al pleno para segundo debate —etapa de discusión artículo por artículo— y luego a tercer debate para su aprobación final.
Posteriormente, corresponderá al Órgano Ejecutivo sancionarlo o vetarlo. El alcance del texto, especialmente en materia presupuestaria y tributaria, anticipa un debate intenso en el hemiciclo.
corresponsal:Desde Panamá
INTERNACIONAL
Pelosi’s war powers flip-flop exposed in resurfaced Obama-era clip contradicts Trump criticism on Iran
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A clip of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has resurfaced online where she flatly defended the then-Obama administration’s decision to strike Libya — without the congressional authorization she believes President Donald Trump should have secured before conducting his own strikes over the weekend.
«You’re saying that the president did not need authorization initially and still does not need any authorization from Congress on Libya?» a reporter asked Pelosi at a press event back in 2011.
«Yes,» Pelosi answered plainly.
The unambiguous answer contrasts sharply with Pelosi’s view of Trump’s strikes against Iran on Saturday.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at the 2026 California Democratic Party State Convention in San Francisco, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
In a joint effort targeting Iranian military leadership, the U.S. and Israel killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, citing an imperative to halt Iran’s pursuit of developing a nuclear weapon.
Pelosi swiftly condemned the operation.
«President Trump’s decision to initiate military hostilities into Iran starts another unnecessary war which endangers our servicemembers and destabilizes an already fragile region,» Pelosi said in a post to X.
«The Constitution is clear: decisions that lead our nation into war must be authorized by Congress.»
Pelosi, alongside other Democrats, is pursuing a war powers resolution that would limit Trump from taking further military action against Iran without express congressional approval.
Trump’s strikes bear similarity to President Barack Obama’s decision to strike Libya in 2011 under Operation Odyssey Dawn.
In that operation, Obama ordered a series of strikes against Libya in March 2011, looking to deter Muammar Gaddafi from attacking civilian protesters.
FETTERMAN PRAISES TRUMP’S IRAN OPERATION AS ‘HISTORIC’ MOMENT FOR AMERICA AMID PARTY DIVISIONS
Sept. 14, 2012: President Barack Obama, accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaks during a Transfer of Remains Ceremony, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP)
Gaddafi, known as the «Mad Dog of the Middle East,» was the ruler of Libya from 1969 to 2011. He had a long and complicated relationship with the U.S. — at times aligning with national objectives and, at others, governing in a manner the U.S. couldn’t ignore.
The final straw came in the Libyan revolt of 2011, when demonstrations broke out in Benghazi and other cities. Like recent uprisings in Iran, Gaddafi met the threat to his rule with crushing force, marching his forces toward several Libyan cities that had resisted his power.
In what he described as attempts to uphold international law, Obama said the U.S., in partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), had taken the strikes to protect Libya’s civilians to protect Libya’s civilians.
GOP REP MASSIE JOINS DEMOCRATS IN OPPOSITION TO US IRAN STRIKES
«We struck regime forces approaching Benghazi to save that city and the people within it,» Obama said in remarks after the attacks.
The strikes did not kill Gaddafi.
Gaddafi was killed later that year at the hands of revolutionaries in October.
Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi gestures to supporters as he speaks in Tripoli, Libya. As rebels swarmed into Tripoli late Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011. (Associated Press)
While Obama said he had consulted a bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers, he did not pursue a declaration of war before carrying out his strikes.
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«So, for those who doubted our capacity to carry out this operation, I want to be clear: The United States of America has done what we said we would do,» Obama said.
Pelosi’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether she saw any key differences between the attacks carried out by Obama and those now ordered by Trump.
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Healing after war: Inside Israel’s equine therapy program
Alex, 35, a disabled IDF veteran, says the psychological wounds of war have been more enduring than his physical injuries. Thanks to the Transcending Trauma Project, founded by Dr. Anita Shkedi, he is getting some help. (Director: Yaron Yarkoni.)
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As sirens sound again across Israel amid escalating Iranian attacks, the country is confronting not only a new battlefield but old psychological wounds. In a stable in central Israel, Danny, is getting some healing.
On October 7, Danny (not his real name) said he was called up from home. Within days, he said, his unit was evacuating bodies from Kibbutz Kissufim under live fire. He spent six months in the war, moving between combat zones in Gaza and evacuating severely wounded soldiers. «We were shot at while evacuating the dead,» he recalled. «I saw the wounded arrive in pieces. These are things I will never forget.»
Since coming home, he says he is constantly on edge — sensitive to noise, tense, struggling to resume normal life. Once a week, he comes to work with a large dark horse named King. «There’s something that waits for me here,» he said. «It’s the one day I can relax and leave the chaos behind. There’s something waiting for me here.»
An Israeli veteran stands beside his horse during a session at the Brothers of Jonathan charity’s equine therapy center, where organizers aim to build resilience and prevent chronic PTSD. (Anita Shkedi)
His story is one of many emerging from a country that is facing a mental-health crisis with many of its troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. A recent Reuters report citing Israel’s Defense Ministry said it has witnessed «a nearly 40% increase in PTSD cases amongst its soldiers since September 2023, and predicts the figure will increase by 180% by 2028.» It also said that some 60% of all wounded troops suffer from PTSD, according to those figures.
Alex, 35, is another veteran who found his way to the same stable. Standing beside a horse named Donna, he prepares for another therapy session. A victim of another one of Israel’s war he was stabbed seven times during Operation Cast Lead in 2009. He says the assault altered the course of his life.
«Pain you can get used to,» he says. «But post-trauma — you cannot get used to.»
He has been coming here for two months. «With Donna I feel the quiet and peace that I can’t feel at home when I’m alone and my thoughts go elsewhere,» he says. «The treatment with the horses is changing my life. Every week more and more, and I don’t want it to end.
«The Transcending Trauma Project was founded by Dr. Anita Shkedi, a pioneer in therapeutic horseback riding in Israel since the 1980s. After years in the field, she came out of semi-retirement following the Oct. 7 attacks to launch the program under a new charity she created, Brothers of Jonathan.
The initiative provides equine-assisted therapy to reservists, soldiers, veterans, Nova music festival survivors and family members struggling with the psychological aftermath of war.
‘SHEEPDOG’ SHINES LIGHT ON THE WAR AFTER WAR, AS VETERANS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH LIFE BACK HOME
A participant in the Transcending Trauma Project works with a horse during a therapy session at a rehabilitation stable in Israel. The initiative was launched after the October 7 attacks to help those struggling with trauma. (Anita Shkedi)
For Shkedi, the project is deeply personal.
Her son, Jonathan Boyden, was mortally wounded during a rescue mission in Lebanon in 1993 and died weeks later from his injuries. For years, she said, she felt she had never fully honored his memory. «When he was alive and serving in the army, he always said to me, ‘Do something and help the injured soldiers,’» she recalled. «So I put everything together and felt this was the right thing to do — to start a charity called Brothers of Jonathan and help people in the way I know best, which is with the horse.»
Since launching in late 2023, the program has delivered more than a thousand therapy sessions and now operates with a growing waiting list. From the outset, Shkedi said her goal was not only treatment but prevention. «Right from the beginning, I was interested in prevention — if we can get to people early, maybe we can prevent symptoms of trauma from turning into chronic PTSD,» she said. «We need to save this generation.»
Many participants arrive in what she describes as «survival mode,» stuck in cycles of fear, anxiety and hypervigilance. But she warns that another psychological wound is emerging alongside classic PTSD symptoms.
«There will be a high level of moral injury — shame and guilt — alongside fear, anxiety and depression,» Shkedi said. «When that combines with PTSD, it is very shattering for a person.»
MARINE-TURNED-PSYCHOLOGIST’S BRAIN BREAKTHROUGH IS HELPING VETERANS STILL FIGHTING INSIDE
A former IDF soldier bonds with a horse as part of a structured, trauma-informed therapy program designed to help veterans and civilians process the psychological aftermath of war. (Anita Shkedi)
In the stable, she says, something shifts.
«Traumatized people need a safe place. Sometimes home is not a safe place,» she explained. «When they come to the horses, they attach easily. The environment becomes safe for them — and they start to feel safer inside.»
The therapy is structured and trauma-informed. Participants learn first to regulate themselves alongside the horse and eventually to guide and care for the animal.
«We don’t get rid of trauma. Trauma has happened,» Shkedi said. «Our job is to build resilience and post-traumatic growth — to help people move from co-regulation to self-regulation.»
For some, she said, the bond has been lifesaving.
«We have had people who were struggling with suicidal thoughts. The fact that they can attach themselves to the horse has really helped them.»
Looking ahead, Shkedi hopes to expand. «The dream is to have a place in Israel where people can come 24/7,» she said. «A place that says: you are safe here.»
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An Israeli veteran participates in an equine-assisted therapy session at the Transcending Trauma Project in central Israel. Organizers say the program supports soldiers and survivors coping with post-traumatic stress. (Anita Shkedi)
As the war continues and more soldiers rotate home, she believes the psychological toll is only beginning to surface.
«We are not just here for people to ride a horse,» she said. «We are here to help them move forward.»
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